Bowling ball return mechanism



Oct. 23, 1962 A. J. ALBRECHT BOWLING BALL RETURN MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Oct. 20, 1958 Irzz rzfar' A. J. ALBRECHT BOWLING BALL RETURN MECHANISM Oct. 23, 1962 Filed Oct. 20, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ira/e12 Z07 ijylaparzaerf #1 brecfii Oct. 23, 1962 A. J. ALBRECHT BOWLING BALL RETURN MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 20, 1958 23 kumderJl/radt 3,059,925 BOWLING BALL RETURN MECHANISM Alexander J. Albrecht, West Englewood, N.J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Brunswick Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 768,098 11 Claims. (Cl. 27349) This invention relates to bowling ball return mechanism, and more particularly to a return mechanism for returning the ball from a bowling alley pit to the players end of the alley.

An object of this invention is to provide new and improved bowling ball return mechanism for receiving a bowling ball from an alley pit without interference from bowling pins in the pit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit at an end of the bed with the front part of the pit adjacent an end of the alley bed, a ball return track extending underneath the alley bed and having an entrance adjacent the front of the pit to receive a ball positioned in the pit, and a trap door comprising a generally cup-like member having a first position to receive a ball from the pit and a second position to discharge a ball onto the return track along with means responsive to the presence of the ball for moving the trap door from said first position to said second position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball return mechanism comprising a hollow, generally hemispherical member of a size to partially receive a bowling ball positioned adjacent the entrance to a return track located beneath the end of an alley bed adjacent the pit, and means mounting the member on a support frame for rotation and also for downward movement into engagement with driven pit conveyor means upon entry of a ball into said member, whereby the pit conveyor means rotates the member between ball receiving and ball discharging positions.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a bowling alley and more particularly the pit end thereof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section on an enlarged scale taken generally along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the ball return mechanism in a different position to discharge a ball therefrom; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the bowling alley and ball return mechanism looking toward the right in FIG. 2 with the mounting structure for the trap door member shown in section.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail an embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

A pit end of an alley is shown in the drawings in which an alley bed 1 has a pair of gutters 2 and 3 at opposite "ice sides thereof. A pit area, indicated generally at 4, is located at the end of the alley bed '1. The pit area 4 has a bowling pin elevating mechanism, indicated diagrammatically at 5, for elevating pins from the: pit area, and this mechanism is preferably positioned across the rear of the pit area. Means are provided in the pit area for directing pins to the rear thereof and into the pin elevating mechanism. This means comprises a pair of downwardly and inwardly sloped side guides 6 and 7 tapering in a direction toward the rear of the pit to reduce the distance therebetween and overlying a pit conveyor composed of a plurality of endless belts 8. The belts 8 are mounted to have their upper reach travel toward the rear of the pit to convey pins to the pin elevating mechanism 5. The belts 8 extend at their forward end about an elongated pulley shaft 9, as shown in FIG. 2, and at the rear of the pit extend around a second pulley shaft 9a. One of the pulley shafts is driven by suitable mechanism to impart movement to the belts 8.

An apron board lil extends across the rear of the alley bed 1 and at the front of the pit area 4, and has a central opening 11 beneath the top thereof of a size to receive a bowling ball. The sides of the apron board beneath the top thereof slope toward the opening 11 whereby, in combination with the upward slope of the pit belts 8, as shown in FIG. 2, a ball, upon entering the pit, is caused to roll to the opening 11. The sides of the apron board are indicated at 12 and 13.

A ball return track 15 is disposed beneath the alley bed 1 and has an entrance end 15:: disposed adjacent the apron board opening 11 and at the side thereof opposite the pit area whereby a ball passing through the opening 11 will enter upon the return track 15 to pass to the players end of the alley.

A trap door mechanism is provided for blocking the ball opening 11 to prevent the inadvertent passing of a bowling pin through the opening and to pass a bowling ball through the opening. This mechanism is indicated generally at 20 and comprises a cup-like member 21 which preferably has a hollow, generally hemispherical shape and which is movable between the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, respectively.

The trap door member 21 is mounted to the frame of the alley by a bracket 22 secured to the alley frame by threaded members 23.

The trap door member 21 is mounted on the bracket 22 for rotation by a shaft 25 extending from a side of the trap door member 21 and supported rotatably in a sleeve 26 by bearings 27. The sleeve 26 is mounted in a bracket housing 28 by a pair of resilient annular rings 29 and 30 formed of fairly soft rubber or other suitable material. The sleeve 26 is spaced from the bracket housing 28 by the resilient rings 29 and 30 and the rings are designed to normally hold the trap door member 21 in a position spaced slightly above the pit belts 8. The rings 29 and 30 yield sufficiently when a ball enters the trap door member 21 to have the member move down into engagement with one of the pit belts 8 and due to the travel of the upper reach of the belts toward the rear of the pit as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, the trap door member 21 will be caused to rotate to the position of FIG. 3 from the position of FIG. 2 to discharge the ball onto the return track 15.

When a ball discharges from the trap door member 21,

the member will then rise to its position out of engagement with a pit belt 8 and a spring 31 connected between a pin 32 on the mounting shaft 25 and the bracket housing 23 will restore the trap door member to the position shown in FIG. 2. This position of the trap door is determined by a stop 33 carried on the bracket housing 28 and having a bumper 34 engageable by an arm 35 secured to the mounting shaft 25.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 where a bowling pin is shown in phantom, a bowling pin may only partially enter the trap door 21 and the trap door is located to always have the belly portion of the pin rest upon a pit belt 8 whereby travel of the pit belts toward the rear of the pit will convey pins from the trap door. A bowling pin does not exert suflicient force to overcome the reactive force of the resilient rings 29 and 30 whereby a pin will not effect rotation of trap door member 2-1.

In operation, the rolling of a ball will cause the ball and a number of pins to fall into the pit area 4, and the rearwardly traveling pit belts 8 will carry pins toward the rear of the pit and to the pin elevating mechanism 5. Due to the downward slope of the pit belts 8 toward the front of the pit and the sloped sides of the apron board 10, a ball is caused to roll to the apron board opening 1 1 wherein the ball passes into the trap door member 21 to cause lowering of the trap door member 21 into engagement with the upper reach of a pit belt 8. Travel of the pit belt causes rotation of the trap door member 21 against the action of the spring 31 to rotate the trap door member approximately one-half revolution to discharge a ball onto the return track 15. If any bowling pin should, at most, partially enter the trap door member 21, the pin will be caused to move out of the member by the pit belts 8 and will not exert sufficient weight upon the trap door member to cause rotation thereof.

I claim:

11. A bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit having a front at an end of the bed, a ball return track extending underneath the alley bed and having an entrance under the 'bed and adjacent the front of the pit, belt means in the pit for carrying bowling pins away from the front thereof and having a top surface inclined upwardly away from the front of the pit, an apron board extending across said end of the alley bed and having an opening in alignment with said entrance and the sides thereof sloped toward said opening, and a trap door mechanism disposed adjacent said opening and entrance comprising, a support frame, a hollow generally hemispherical member of a size to partially receive a ball having a ball receiving position with the hollow facing said opening and having a wall portion overlying said belt means, means mounting said member on the frame for rotation and also for movement into engagement with the belt means in response to the weight of the ball therein whereby the member is rotated to discharge a ball onto the track, and means for returning said member to the ball receiving position after discharge of a ball.

2. A bowling alley as defined in claim 1 wherein said member mounting means includes a housing on said frame, a sleeve mounted in said housing for movement relative thereto, a shaft connected to said member rotatable in said sleeve, and resilient rings mounting said sleeve in said housing.

3. A bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit having a front at an end of the bed, a ball return track having an entrance adjacent the front of the pit, belt means in the pit for carrying bowling pins away from the front thereof, and a trap door mechanism disposed adjacent said entrance comprising, a support frame, a hollow generally hemispherical member of a size to partially receive a ball and having a ball receiving position with a wall portion overlying said belt means, means mounting said member on the frame for rotation and also for movement into engagement with the belt means in response to the weight of the ball therein whereby the member is rotated to dis- 4% charge a ball onto the track, and means for returning said member to the ball receiving position after discharge of a ball.

4. A bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit at an end of the bed with the front of the pit adjacent the alley bed end, a ball return track extending underneath the alley bed and having an entrance adjacent the front of the pit and under the alley bed to receive a ball positioned in the pit, means in the area of the pit for carrying bowling pins toward the rear of the pit, a generally cup-like member mounted in said entrance and of a size to receive a ball, means mounting said member for movement between a first ball-receiving position and a second position for discharging a ball while maintaining said entrance closed, and means responsive to entry of a ball into said member for moving the member from said first position to said second position.

5. In a bowling alley having a ball return track positioned under an alley bed with an entrance to said track adjacent an alley pit, a hollow generally hemispherical member of a size to partially receive a bowling ball positioned at said entrance, a frame for supporting said member, means mounting said member on the frame for bodily rotation between a first ball receiving position with the hollow side of the member facing the pit and a second ball discharging position with the hollow side of the member facing in the direction of the return track and said member blocking said entrance.

6. A bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit at an end of the bed to receive balls and pins wtih the front of the pit adjacent the alley bed end, a ball return track extending underneath the alley bed and having an entrance adjacent the front of the pit and under the alley bed to receive a ball positioned in the pit, a trap door closing said entrance pin handling means to remove pins from said pit, and means responsive to the presence of a ball for opening the trap door to permit a ball to pass onto the return track.

7. .A bowling alley as defined in claim 6 in which said trap door comprises a generally cup-like member having a first position to receive a ball from the pit and a second position to discharge a ball onto said return track. 8. In a bowling alley having a return track, a trap door mechanism for controlling the passage of a ball to the entrance of the ball return track comprising, a support frame, a hollow generally hemispherical member of a size to partially receive a ball and having a ball receiving position, means mounting said member on the frame for rotation about an axis extending through the member between a ball receiving position and a ball discharging position with the member in obstructing relation with said entrance at all times, means for rotating said member to said ball discharging position when a ball is positioned therein, and means for returning said member to the ball receiving position after discharge of a ball.

9. A bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit at an end of the bed with the front of the pit adjacent the alley bed end, a ball return track extending underneath the alley bed and having an entrance adjacent the front of the pit and under the alley bed to receive a ball positioned in the pit, a trap door closing said entrance, means to direct a ball to said trap door, means for conveying pins in a direction away from said trap door, and means responsive to the presence of a ball for opening the trap door to permit a ball to pass onto the return track.

10. A bowling alley having an alley bed and a pit at an end of the bed with the front of the pit adjacent the alley bed end, a ball return track having an entrance adjacent the front of the pit to receive a ball, a trap door closing said entrance, an apron board at the end of the alley bed sloping toward said entrance to direct a ball thereto, means for conveying pins in a direction away from said entrance, and means responsive to the presence of a ball for opening the trap door to permit a ball to pass onto the return track.

11. A bowling alley as defined in claim 10 in which said trap door comprises a generally cup-like member having a first position to receive a ball from the pit, a second position to discharge a ball to said return track while closing the entrance, and means for returning said cup-like member to the ball receiving position after discharge of a hall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Parsons et a1. June 3, 1941 Cronk Ian. 2, 1951 Carroll Feb. 20, 1951 Smith et a1. Dec. 2, 1952 Morrison Apr. 13, 1954 Huck June 29, 1954 Keesling Jan. 18, 1955 Zuercher et al. Oct. 2, 1956 

